Category
Mountain and Land
ActivitiesMountain and Land
Japan’s mountains and inland terrain hold the deepest well of outdoor activity on this site — hiking trails through century-old pilgrimage routes, cycling routes across the Japan Alps, campsites beside hot springs, and rivers still holding wild trout upstream of it all. Start with our complete guides to hiking, cycling, and camping in Japan for a full regional breakdown of where to go and when, or head straight to fly fishing if you’re chasing yamame and iwana in the headwaters. Beyond those, this section covers everything from technical rock and ice climbing to trail running and mountain biking across every region of the country, all searchable below.
Fishing
Fly Fishing in Japan: A Guide to Tenkara’s...
The birthplace of tenkara, and one of the best-kept secrets in fly fishing — where to cast for yamame and iwana trout across Japan.
Cycling
Shimanami Kaido: Japan’s Great Bike Route,...
A 70km ride across six islands and seven bridges between Honshu and Shikoku — everything you need to plan your Shimanami Kaido trip.
Cycling
Cycling in Japan: The Complete Guide to the Best...
From the Shimanami Kaido to Hokkaido's northern coast — where to cycle in Japan, the country's best routes, and how to plan a bike trip.
Camping
Camping in Japan: The Complete Guide, Region by ...
Where to camp in Japan by region and season, from campervan road trips to riverside glamping — plus what to know before you pitch a tent.
Hiking
Hiking in Japan: The Complete Guide to the Best ...
From the Kumano Kodo to the Japan Alps — where to go, when to go, and how to hike Japan's mountains and pilgrimage trails like a local.
Adventure Travel
Uncovering the Hidden Flow of the Kumano Kodo Is...
The Kii Peninsula, a vast and mountainous hand reaching into the Pacific, has been my lodestar for over twenty years. It is an ar...
Travel
Rewilding the Soul in Gujo’s Satoyama
The heart of Japan is often found not in its neon-drenched metropolises or manicured temple gardens, but in the quiet interstitia...
Travel
Retracing Bird’s Trail: Three Days in Yamagata’s...
In the late 19th century, British explorer Isabella Bird walked across northern Japan. She was the first Western woman to make su...